by Dr. Alison Cook | May 7, 2024 | Featured, Life Advice |
As a clinician and as a human, I’ve learned that my own flurry of conflicting thoughts is a sign that I need to gently slow down the pace of my mind. It’s a signal to take a deep breath to ease the firing of my nervous system and settle into the groundedness of my body.
It’s a cue that the situation in front of me is complex and that I need to pay close attention so that I don’t rush into an assumption that does not adequately address the reality of what’s happening. In other words, it’s an invitation to spend some time hanging out at the Crossroads. In this case it meant I needed to invite Chloe to join me there before she rushed into a high-stakes pseudo solution.
And so I said to Chloe a phrase that has become my mantra these past twenty years: “Could we pause here for a moment? We need to start naming some things.”
Like many of us when we experience conflicting thoughts or mixed emotions, Chloe was trying to jump right into a solution without first understanding the complexity of the problem she was facing. She hadn’t yet uncovered what was underneath the resentment she was feeling. She couldn’t get to a better place if she didn’t first stop and name what was happening.
Start with Yourself
When we’re tangled up inside, it’s hard to maintain perspective. Complicated or painful situations detonate conflicting thoughts and feelings that can feel chaotic and overwhelming. Often one strong emotion is colliding with another equally strong one. You might feel anger, but then you feel guilty about feeling anger. Or you might feel hurt, but then you feel anxious about taking action. Your reactions might be related to a current experience, or they might be influenced by past events. Shame may enter in and you criticize yourself, further complicating an already complicated mix.
Your nervous system gets activated, and you tend to react based on prior conditioning or automatic responses rather than thoughtful, conscious awareness. It’s incredibly challenging to respond wisely to what’s happening outside of you until you acknowledge and patiently work through the turmoil inside of you. The very first step is to stop and notice what you’re experiencing: Name what’s hard. Start with yourself.
Naming is a profound act of noticing, acknowledging, and validating the truth of what you’re thinking and feeling at any given moment.You stop anxiously ruminating, impulsively reacting, or grasping for a solution and start paying attention to what’s happening inside your own mind. What am I feeling right now? What’s happening inside? Naming the truth of your inner experience is a powerful step towards clarity. It empowers you to make a wiser choice.
The simple act of stopping to notice what you’re thinking and feeling—without criticism, judgment, or shame—brings calm to the chaos inside. You shift out of overdrive and into a neutral gear, creating a pause where you can get curious about what’s happening. Imagine you’re at a gathering and you begin to feel overwhelmed, left out, or tempted to lash out at someone. What if, instead of berating or gaslighting yourself—instead of telling yourself you shouldn’t feel that way—you took a deep breath and asked yourself, What am I experiencing right now?
Am I hurt? Sad? Scared?
Is someone being cruel?
God, help me understand what’s happening in this moment.
Instead of reacting or overreacting to the situation in front of you, you begin to gently name the truth-pieces inside of you.
Sometimes, it’s hard to figure out a name for what you’re experiencing right away, especially when you’re facing a complicated situation that evokes complicated thoughts and feelings. That’s okay. Pausing to notice This feels complicated or This feels hard is often the very first step in naming. The most important act at this juncture is to give yourself permission to notice what you’re experiencing without shame.²
The process of naming isn’t always definitive, especially at first. It reminds me of trying to come up with a name for remote hiking trails that are off the grid in my home state of Wyoming. As my family and I discuss how to name where we’re going in case of an emergency, the conversation goes a little like this: “If you head out about five miles east toward Sibley Lake, you’ll see a turnout on your left. It’s just before the long hill that descends toward Steamboat Rock. Drive a little ways down that bumpy dirt road. Don’t take the short road to the right—it’s the longer one that forks to the left! At the bottom of it, you’ll find the trailhead.” It takes a few iterations to find a name sometimes!
Likewise, it takes a few tries to give inner experiences an accurate name. It means slowing yourself down, describing what’s happening as honestly as you can, and identifying what you’re thinking and feeling in reference to other landmarks in your life. For instance, when I asked Chloe to name what was happening inside her mind as she thought about her marriage, she paused and reflected. She then answered, “It feels so foolish—but I feel left out, completely rejected. It’s like I’m in fifth grade again and no one will play with me. I hated feeling that way!” Her husband’s behaviors—whether intentional or not—had exposed a trail leading to a painful memory inside her mind. Naming those feelings became the starting point for our journey together.
Naming is like dropping a pin on a map that labels the starting point of where you are. It requires patience and self-awareness. It means asking others to wait while you take your time to get it right: “I’m trying to name what’s going on with me. I’m not sure how to say it yet.” But with care and attention, you’ll identify a name that not only you but other people will understand: “Aha! This is where I am.”
by Chonda Pierce | Apr 30, 2024 | Featured, Life Advice |
Just One Thing
Folks often ask me, “How did you endure so much grief? How did you climb out of the dark?”
My scientific answer is, “Medicine balanced my serotonin, my hormones, my moods. Karaoke gave me a needed distraction, helped me laugh again. Gathering a new tribe of family and friends was imperative.”
All these things were helpful or needed—except karaoke . . . it was just fun! But the real answer is the one thing. Just one thing.
One night a few years back, Andrew Tenenbaum called me and said he had a few extra tickets to the 25th Anniversary showing of City Slickers. I was ecstatic. Billy Crystal has always been a favorite of mine. Since Andrew was also his manager, chances were great that I would at least be in the same room. Not only was I in the same room, but Zach and I were seated directly behind him. Just before the movie started, a man slipped in late and sat right beside me. Of course, I began a little small talk. My enthusiasm and southern accent were just enough to annoy everyone around us so Billy would have to turn around. When he did, I was ready!
“Hi Billy, I’m Chonda. I’m a comic too. Andrew is my manager, so we’re practically cousins!”
He smiled politely and shook my hand as Zach sunk down in his seat. I was on a roll! I turned to the man sitting beside me, “You must be family, a dear friend? You have a pretty good seat, so I’m guessing you might be Billy’s tailor!” When I get nervous or feel out of place, my mouth often runs without a pinch of decorum or sophistication.
The gentleman looked sideways at me, and he may have rolled his eyes. “I’m Ron Underwood. I’m here for the Q and A afterward.”
“Ah. Nice to meet you! And what did you do in the movie?”
“I directed it.” Oops! I think in Hollywood it’s supposedly a big deal to know these things!
Thank goodness the lights dimmed just as my face flushed bright pink and Zach whispered, “Mom, don’t talk anymore!”
I love the movie City Slickers. Who doesn’t? But the reason I bring it all up is this one thing. Do you remember the scene? Billy’s character, Mitch, has been bouncing about on a horse for days with Jack Palance (Curly), a rugged cowboy who is tougher than nails and can rope a calf with his big toe. Mitch laments to Curly about his complicated midlife crisis. Curly finally asks, “Do you know what the secret to life is?” Mitch sits up taller on his horse. Leans in to hear. He’s dying to know. Needs to know. It will be the glue that puts his entire life back together. Curly lifts his finger cradled in his dusty leather work glove, “It’s this one thing. Just one thing.”
Mitch says, “Your finger?”
“No!” Curly chuckles. “It’s just one thing.”
That’s my answer, too. The secret to getting through anything starts with just one thing. Faith.
Has my faith ever wavered in strength? Yes, way too often. Have I questioned “why even bother?” You’d better believe it. Have I wondered if it works? Every other day. But you know what happens? The next day shows up. Then the next and the next. Before long, I’ve passed through one of the most difficult weeks of my life. Because of that one thing.
If you’re expecting your faith to help you get something you want or fix everything, well, you might as well put your faith in a statue of a little fat man or buy a lottery ticket. There have been some tough days. Not as bad as the jump-in-the-river days. Days where I beg God, “Please, please fix this. Fix me. I can’t make it through this anymore.” Like the clink of a couple of coins into a slot machine, I pull the lever. Nothing.
Bart Millard is a songwriter and friend. I mean, it’s not like I have his cell phone number and we toss around song ideas, but he must have some sort of spiritual connection with me because it never fails that when I am at a low point in my grief, missing David or the kids, a song he has written floats through my radio and speaks to me—like MercyMe’s “Even If”:
I know You’re able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don’t, My hope is You alone¹
Maybe faith is not about what you get. Maybe it’s about who you become. Maybe it’s not about believing your circumstances will change; maybe it’s about believing in God even if they never do. Period. Not the getting. The giving of faith. The adoration regardless of the outcome. In that regard, I have never lost my faith. I have complete faith that God can change things, fix things. Sometimes He does, sometimes He doesn’t. But putting my trust and faith in Him has changed me because I’ve learned what happens if I don’t.
A better question might be, “Have you ever lost Chonda?” I’m pretty sure God would say, “Oh, a few times we came close. She tried to hide. She slipped to the shadows. Tried to jump in the river, but it was too shallow. I drained it on purpose. But I knew where she was the whole time.”
by Ashley Hetherington | Apr 29, 2024 | Featured, Life Advice |
DAY 6
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:2)
I was reaching my hand into the pantry for some trail mix when a terrible odor hit my nose. I looked to see where this stench was coming from but couldn’t find the source. So I let it be, hoping it would go away with time if I just ignored it. But a few hours later, I returned to the pantry for some peanut butter, and I smelled that terrible stench again. I then realized this odor was not going away unless I figured out where it was coming from. As I frantically searched the pantry, an old, rotten red onion caught my eye. Finally, after I threw it away, the smell of my pantry became much more bearable. It turns out things are much better when you get out the gunk.
In our own lives, we can go about our days with everything proceeding smoothly. But then we sense that something isn’t quite right. Something is a bit off . . . no matter how much we try to avoid it or act like it will go away on its own.
When we’re in a season of waiting, we can often let “gunk” filter in and clog up our spiritual and emotional lives. Whether through laziness, apathy, numbness, bitterness, or some other form of negativity, we can be tempted to relax our vigilance as we wait, so we start to let our spiritual health slide.
Being in a season of waiting doesn’t mean you do nothing. Perhaps if God is not changing your situation, He is trying to change you. Maybe He wants to rid you of your bad habit of gossiping, the lukewarm lifestyle youkeep falling into, or a lie you are believing that is hindering your ability to walk as a child of the King. Wherever the stench is coming from today, don’t be discouraged. It’s not there to stay. We get to allow God to search us and convict us of what He wants us to get rid of—and as we wait, we get to be made more like Him.
Prayer: God, I know that sometimes I miss the mark. Please reveal to me areas of my heart that are not pleasing to You and show me the gunk in my life You want to get rid of. I desire to do Your will, God. In Jesus’s name, amen.
DAY 7
“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (Hebrews 6:12)
Everything about the vacation in Miami was perfect. After a few days of basking in the sun, I was ready to get some movement in. Knowing a beachside coffee shop was only three miles down the road, I decided to run to it and reward myself with coffee.
As I started running, I felt very accomplished. Here I was on vacation, running. I checked my Apple Watch fifteen minutes into my run to see how far I’d gone. Feeling energized and eager as the crisp morning air refreshed my sink, I keep moving my legs forward with vigor.
Suddenly, I noticed the highway in front of me, which stopped me in my tracks. That’s when I realized…I was headed in the wrong direction. I called the friend who had recommended the coffee shop and asked her where it was. She then told me how to get back on track, which was inconveniently thirty minutes in the other direction.
As I resumed my run, I felt seriously humbled. I wondered if I should even still try to run to the coffee shop. Suddenly I realized I had to decided: Was I going to be someone who gives up when things get difficult? Or was I going to keep going even when it was hard?
I know running slightly more than three measly miles to a coffee shop is a small challenge in comparison to what you might be going through today. But I still had to ask the Lord for the strength to finish strong. After much effort, I finally got to my destination and put in my order…and the barista moved slowly.
Crazy, now that I had made it, I had to wait even longer. The girl in front of me was so fed up with the wait time that she just left.
Waiting for coffee isn’t a big deal compared to the important things in life. But that morning taught me three very important things: First, to receive any promise from God, we must be willing to wait. And third, enduring and waiting are hard in the moment, but they are always worth it in the long run.
As I walked back onto the beach, with my running shoes in one hand, and my coffee in the other, I smiled. Perhaps not giving up was worth it, after all.
Prayer: God, I admit that sometimes I grow weary doing the things You’ve called me to do. Help me to stay faithful today and finish the race You have for me. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Ashley Hetherington, author of The Joy of the In-Between is a writer, speaker, content creator, Jesus lover, and founder of The Honey Scoop, a lifestyle blog that encourages and equips young women to grow their faith and reach their full potential in God. As someone with a passion for connecting with young women about the struggles of young adult life, Ashley is also the creator of a membership program, The Tree, an online community that helps young women connect with God and read the Bible. Through her writing and speaking, Ashley is a faith leader for those who want to know the Word of God and let truth transform their lives. She has a degree in journalism and interactive media studies from Miami University and resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
by Katie Dietz | Apr 23, 2024 | Featured, Life Advice
We pulled into the drive of our new home and I have to be honest in saying that it was a bit shocking. It’s cute but much smaller than the house we moved out of. The yard hasn’t been treated and weeds have overtaken any sign of the potential green grass hiding underneath. The kitchen was far from complete and as I walked around this 1930’s cottage style home, I could feel the anxiety rising within. There was no sink, dishwasher or countertops on the cabinets. I know I sound like a drama queen but as I took a walk through the house, I looked over at my husband and said, “what did we do?” He kindly responded, “It’ll be okay, babe. Just keep the bigger picture in mind” Through the tears and temporary frustration, I knew he was right.
When my husband accepted his new job and we decided to move, we were both feeling a deep stirring in our hearts to simplify our lives. When I say simplify I mean, finding a smaller house, getting rid of all car payments, less eating out and less commitments all together. At the beginning of this move I thought the desire came from our dream of buying some land and building a house again one day. We knew if we wanted this dream to become a reality sooner rather than later we needed to take a step back for a season to save. What I’ve realized a few months into this move is the desire to simplify our lives wasn’t just to prepare ourselves for our dream but for spiritual growth too. As we simplify our lives, it reveals what truly matters most in our hearts.
I don’t know about you but I’ve heard the phrase “less is more” many times throughout my life. However, I can’t say I’ve really ever applied it to my life or understood the impact it can have if we follow the philosophy. Throughout my younger twenties I believed creating a successful and fulfilling life meant I needed to have things to show for it like having a bigger house, nicer car and more money. The problem with that mindset is as trends faded, discontentment would eventually arise within my heart. This was a pattern I began to notice within myself from year to year.
What I’ve discovered is there is a difference between making a mistake versus a reoccurring pattern in our lives. Mistakes need grace and mercy. Patterns need healing. Patterns reveal there is something beneath the surface that we need to bring to Jesus. What I’ve grown to love about God is that when he exposes something, like a negative pattern, it’s not to make us feel bad or shameful about ourselves. Rather it’s to reveal our need for Him and to draw our hearts closer to His. God wants to heal what he reveals and sanctify our hearts in the process. Every day and season is a chance to be developed. Sometimes he wants to develop our character and other times He wants to heal the deep wounds and misconceptions within. For me, I learned my need to have the next best thing was rooted in feeling like I needed to prove myself. Can you relate?
The question I’ve been prompted to ask myself in this season is: “ Am I truly satisfied with Jesus alone or am I only satisfied when I have Jesus plus something else?” Make no mistake– I love having nice things too! I enjoy my hair extensions, getting my nails done and dreaming of the house and land we will one day raise a family on! We love traveling and trying out the newest restaurant in our area too. None of these things are bad. In fact, they are all part of what makes life fun! Yet, I’ve discovered that in the midst of pursuing all these things, we can still be checking the purity of our motives by coming before Jesus and asking him to search our hearts. Have we caught ourselves in a round of keeping up with the joneses? Are we pursuing these things to prove our worth to a world that will never meet our deepest need to be seen? Are we trying to one up that family member or friend who upset us by getting something we know they can’t have? Are we trying to find value in things that will one day disappear forever?
Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Don’t store up treasures here on Earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Friend, I don’t know where you have found yourself today. Maybe you’re overwhelmed with keeping up with all the latest trends and your bank account is hurting because of it. Maybe you’ve over committed yourself to others that you can’t remember the last time you sat down and ate dinner with your family. Perhaps you feel spiritually dry and want to experience God’s presence in your life again. I see you. I was there just a few months ago.
What if the key to a more meaningful life is a simpler life? What if decluttering our lives is what leads us into a deeper relationship with Jesus and the people in our lives? Perhaps it’s in the season’s where we let go of the stuff we think we need most that we will discover the life God has in store is actually so much better than we could ask or think. Maybe it’s in the process of letting all striving cease that we will realize that we all have access to a simple life worth living. One that is full of joy, gratitude and contentment. A life that is deeply rooted in Jesus satisfying our every need to be known, loved and seen. We might even discover a deeper peace within our hearts that God has us right where He wants us and has provided us with all that we could ever need.
Katie Dietz is a born and raised Oklahoma girl who has a heart for sharing the light & hope of Jesus. She recently moved to NW Oklahoma with her husband Kory where they enjoy evening walks after work and finding new places to explore near OKC! She is a part time dental hygienist and is currently writing her first book with Our Daily Bread. She is the founder of Back Porch Devotionals- a community focused on encouraging women on their walk with Jesus through daily devotionals & faith- filled truth. Her 1st book is set to come out in 2026! In the meantime you can keep up with her on Instagram @katie.dietz & @back.porch.devos
by Alley and Amanda | Apr 18, 2024 | Life Advice
To: The sister who wants to say YES, but fear is whispering in her ear.
“Start a Bible study in your home…Oh, I’m not sure my house is big enough.”
“Serve at the local food bank…It costs too much to get a baby sitter for my kids.”
“Join a women’s group at your church…I feel bad for leaving my husband with the kids after work.”
“Apply for the job…My resume isn’t very good.”
“Give the waitress a large tip…I can’t because I need to save money.”
Oh how guilty I am for getting an idea, a nudge from the Holy Spirt, or an invitation to say YES to God, but shut it down quickly. But why? Fear. The fear of thinking I heard wrong. The fear of not being good enough. The fear that I won’t be able to handle it or mange the details, and the fear that I will lose control or be labeled as a failure for starting something and not finishing.
Fear. Fear. Fear. We all have it.
Do you know what else we have? Desire. Desire to do things that make us come alive. The desire to seek, hear, and walk in relationship with our Creator. The desire to say “YES” to God. Saying YES to Him doesn’t mean we won’t have fear, but saying YES draws us into a relationship with Him. An invitation into an adventure we just cannot pass up.
We find in Joshua Chapter 1 a beautiful example of yielding to God’s plan, expecting His faithfulness, and seeking Him while stepping out. God commands Joshua to seek Him so he can make wise decisions, be strong, be courageous, and trust that God is with him as he goes. We see in this passage that God is the great planner, faithful in His promises, and trustworthy. So, of course we can give Him our YES, but how?
Think of your “YES” in three categories: Yield to Gods Plan, Expect His Faithfulness, & Seek Him and Step Out.
Y: YIELD TO GODS PLAN (Joshua 1:2)
God called Joshua to “ARISE” or get up and go. God had a plan to bring His people into the land He promised and needed Joshua to yield to that plan. I think it’s important to note the word “yield.” When you come to a yield sign, you slow your vehicle and look around for other traffic that could come from another direction. To give our YES to God, we must yield to His pace. It can be tempting to rush ahead and take matters into our own hands, or kick our feet questioning if we really should step into this opportunity. So, where do we start? We ask. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call on the Lord and He will answer you, and tell you hidden things that you do not know.” Prayer is not just a monologue, but a dialogue. We must come to Him with courage to ask, “God, what are you inviting me into?” He promises to answer.
E: EXPECT HIM TO BE FAITHFUL (Joshua 1:5)
He said to Joshua, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” I love how God promises and reminds. He promises Joshua that his journey will be successful, that He will go with him, and He will not leave him. He reminds Joshua of His faithfulness with Moses. Joshua had walked with Moses and learned the ways of leadership and had seen God’s faithfulness to him which encouraged him to step into his new role. Just as God promised and reminded Joshua, He does the same with us and we can expect it.
S: SEEK HIM AND STEP OUT (Joshua 1:3)
The vow to receive the land was part of God’s covenant with Israel. God would keep this vow, but the Israelites had a working part in receiving the land. He told Joshua, “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” This means Joshua and the Israelites must “set foot” in the land and war for their inheritance. As was noted by Moses when passing on the Word of the Lord, “See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers — to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — and to their descendants after them”. The Lord had given Israel the land, but they would have an active part in taking possession of the land themselves. God worked on their accounts as they STEPPED OUT in FAITH to take an ACTIVE part in taking possession (Deuteronomy 1:8).
We gave God our YES 9 years ago. We hope our story encourages you!
On Oct 2014, Amanda felt God put the word podcast on her heart. This vision was to encourage women in their faith, as wives, moms, sisters, daughters, and friends. Her response was, “Me? really? I do not know how or what to do to start that.” She didn’t share this with anyone. She kept praying about it every time God brought it to her mind and heart. Amanda and Alley soon met and their friendship grew quickly. They learned they had a huge passion to encourage women in their faith. One day in April, Amanda woke up with the podcast and Alley on her mind. She couldn’t stop thinking about it. She asked God “Is Alley suppose to do this with me?” She immediately shared her vision with Alley. Meanwhile, they were helping prepare for a women’s gathering. At the end of that women’s conference, they were all challenged to write on a stone a “step of faith” God was calling them to take. Alley and Amanda were talking after the conference and shared that they had both written “podcast” on their stones. They did not want to write it down at the time, but knew God was calling them to take that step of faith. The scripture Joshua 1:3 “I will give you a place for every step you set your foot, just as I did Moses” became so alive in God guiding their steps. They said “Yes, we do not know what to do, but we say yes to you Lord!” The next day, God gave Alley the name ”Living Out Loud.” They knew God had given them the two words “Transparency & Encouragement.” That week, God opened more doors confirming that this was His will and gave them a platform through a local well-known website. God began to reveal that this podcast was to be a platform for women to be able to share their stories. God saw two women who had a passion for Him and passion to encourage others. God heard their prayers and so sweetly brought them together to glorify Him.
Our ministry verse is Revelation 12:11 “For they will conquer by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” We desire to encourage others to share their story and truly believe it brings healing to their hearts as well as the hearts of those who listen. Our podcast is a platform for women and men to share what God is doing in their lives and how He is faithful. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry, but in the end, it’s always encouraging.
What is God inviting you into and will you say YES?
XOXO,
Your sisters Alley Bell & Amanda Reed
Have a story to share? Is God calling you to share? Visit our website and submit the form under the “Share your story” tab.
Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram or visit our website www.livingoutloud.today
Also, we just published our first devotional. Join us for 30 days as we share truths from God’s Word, personal stories from our lives, and encourage you to reflect and journal as you spend time with the Lord. Click here to purchase!
by Lysa TerKeurst | Apr 16, 2024 | Featured, Life Advice, Wisdom
“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16b (NIV)
I have to admit I’m sometimes scared to pray boldly.
It’s not at all that I don’t believe God can do anything. I absolutely do. I’m a “wild about Jesus” kind of girl. Wild in my willingness. Wild in my obedience. Wild in my adventures with God.
So, my hesitation isn’t rooted in any kind of doubt about God.
It’s more rooted in a doubt about myself and my ability to absolutely discern the will of God. The reality is sometimes God chooses not to do things. And if His will is no, while I am boldly praying for a yes, it makes me feel out of step with God.
Can you relate?
I so desperately want to stay in the will of God that I find myself praying with clauses sometimes. Like, “God please heal my friend but if it’s Your will to take her, I will trust You.” I wonder why I don’t just boldly pray, “God, please heal my friend.” And then stand confidently that my prayers were not in vain no matter what the outcome.
The reality is, praying boldly boots me out of a stale place of religious habit into authentic connection with God Himself.
Prayer opens my spiritual eyes to see things I can’t see on my own. And I am convinced prayer matters. Prayers are “powerful and effective” if prayed from the position of a righteous heart, like James 5:16 says.
So, prayer does make a difference – a life-changing, mind-blowing, earth-rattling difference. We don’t need to know how. We don’t need to know when. We just need to kneel confidently and know that our simple, short prayers extend far wide and far high and far deep.
In case you’ve been wrestling through some unanswered prayers recently, lean in here: Keep pressing into God. Keep praying. Don’t pull away. He isn’t ignoring you; He is listening. He loves you too much to answer your prayers at any other time than the right time and in any other way than the right way.
Letting that truth slosh over into my soul, snuffs out the flickers of hesitation. It bends my stiff knees. And it ignites a fresh, bold wildfire within me. Not bold as in bossy and demanding. But bold as in I love Jesus with all my heart, so I want to show up and try again. Pray again. Ask again.
Look at these words from Jesus:
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him,” (Matthew 6:6-8, NIV).
Friend, what do you need to pray boldly about today? Don’t listen to fear – go ahead and ask. And ask again. Not so that we can cause God to move, rather so that we can position our souls to be able to see Jesus move in any which way He pleases.
Dear Lord, I believe that You are the giver of life and Lord over all things. Thank You for providing me with exactly what I need, even though it isn’t always what I may want. I trust that You have my best interest in mind today. I need You Lord. Show me Your way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
If we’re honest, when we’re already in a difficult season, connecting with God through praying and reading our Bibles can feel overwhelming. Lysa TerKeurst understands this struggle and has teamed up with other authors at Proverbs 31 Ministries to bring you a new devotional, Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart: 50 Devotions for Sleeping Well in a World Full of Worry. Written by busy women for busy women, this devotional is filled with 50 encouraging devotions, scripture verses and guided prayers, making it easier than ever for you to simply show up and spend time with God at the end of your day. Order your copy today!
